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Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

AjeyaGupta

Star Member
Aug 6, 2018
132
16
Hi Guys,

I have Canadian PR and I am not eligible for Nexus Card. I will be getting H1B Visa soon(currently I am in India). My plan is to live in Windsor and travel to work to Detroit for work. My question is does the passport needs to be stamped on every travel.
No, your passport will not be stamped everytime. Only your travel history will get updated.
 

ca_hopeful

Star Member
Apr 13, 2017
95
9
Hello,
I have a question on medical insurance in the US. My employer is in the US and my family lives in Canada. If I commute daily can I still include my family in my US employer provided insurance? Family will travel to the US for medical care whenever needed. Is this possible?

Or is there a requirement that my family should be residents of US to be included on the insurance?
 

swan0206

Champion Member
May 14, 2019
1,208
232
Hello,
I have a question on medical insurance in the US. My employer is in the US and my family lives in Canada. If I commute daily can I still include my family in my US employer provided insurance? Family will travel to the US for medical care whenever needed. Is this possible?

Or is there a requirement that my family should be residents of US to be included on the insurance?
When your family is living in Canada they are no more dependents on you in US. Also they cannot hold h4 anymore so, technically they will be visitors if they travel next time to US and it will be different scenario for visitors as you know. May be you can purchase a travel insurance for them. As far as i know your employer's insurance is not valid in this case. Its only valid for you as you are still employed in US.
 

Mexontario

Hero Member
Sep 9, 2020
529
311
Windsor, ON
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
02-05-2014
Doc's Request.
23-06-2014
AOR Received.
04-06-2014
File Transfer...
23-06-2014
Med's Request
23-06-2014
Med's Done....
07-08-2014
Passport Req..
26-09-2014
VISA ISSUED...
18-11-2014
LANDED..........
04-04-2015
When your family is living in Canada they are no more dependents on you in US. Also they cannot hold h4 anymore so, technically they will be visitors if they travel next time to US and it will be different scenario for visitors as you know. May be you can purchase a travel insurance for them. As far as i know your employer's insurance is not valid in this case. Its only valid for you as you are still employed in US.
Please do NOT speculate. If family is living in Canada, that doesn't change the fact that they are still dependents. It can only change in terms of Visa status in US. Nothing more than that.

Hello,
I have a question on medical insurance in the US. My employer is in the US and my family lives in Canada. If I commute daily can I still include my family in my US employer provided insurance? Family will travel to the US for medical care whenever needed. Is this possible?

Or is there a requirement that my family should be residents of US to be included on the insurance?
No such requirement unless your employer mandates so. I have my family members in my employer sponsored insurance plan. You can add them to your insurance as long as they have an ITIN or SSN.
 

ca_hopeful

Star Member
Apr 13, 2017
95
9
Please do NOT speculate. If family is living in Canada, that doesn't change the fact that they are still dependents. It can only change in terms of Visa status in US. Nothing more than that.



No such requirement unless your employer mandates so. I have my family members in my employer sponsored insurance plan. You can add them to your insurance as long as they have an ITIN or SSN.
Yes this is what my insurance company also told me.
 

canprofus

Hero Member
Dec 20, 2019
232
59
Please do NOT speculate. If family is living in Canada, that doesn't change the fact that they are still dependents. It can only change in terms of Visa status in US. Nothing more than that.



No such requirement unless your employer mandates so. I have my family members in my employer sponsored insurance plan. You can add them to your insurance as long as they have an ITIN or SSN.
Problem is not with insurance, but with dependent visa. If you live in Canada, dependent visa is moot, so not sure how would you get them to US access US healthcare. CBP would not allow H4 holders to enter if H1 holder is not living in US. So keeping dependent insurance is absolute waste of money.

However, if your spouse is on H1 and kids are USC, then they may be able to access the insurance without any issues.
 

rzk0006

Full Member
Mar 3, 2019
20
2
Hello did anyone file H1b extension recently and got approved while working from home in Canada? Like most other's due to this pandemic we have been working from home and not commuting since last March. My wife now has to file H1b extension and since we not have travel history to US for the last one year, we are unsure of repercussions. If anyone has similar experience can you please help us?
 

shri.ca

Full Member
Sep 14, 2020
32
10
Hello did anyone file H1b extension recently and got approved while working from home in Canada? Like most other's due to this pandemic we have been working from home and not commuting since last March. My wife now has to file H1b extension and since we not have travel history to US for the last one year, we are unsure of repercussions. If anyone has similar experience can you please help us?
I commute to Detroit for work everyday on H1B (AVR). My Extension was filed today. Following are couple of points my attorney highlighted:
1) If you are not in US when applying for H1B Extension, your H1B will be adjudicated for consular processing (which requires H1B Visa to enter USA)
2) On the day when your H1B Extension package is received by USCIS, your I-94 gets adjusted (assuming you are in US on the day of receipt) for 240 days allowing you to work while awaiting decision.
3) After the case is received and receipt# is generated, you are good to continue commute (US/Canada).

I am not sure if this is helpful, but thought of sharing it.
 
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rzk0006

Full Member
Mar 3, 2019
20
2
I commute to Detroit for work everyday on H1B (AVR). My Extension was filed today. Following are couple of points my attorney highlighted:
1) If you are not in US when applying for H1B Extension, your H1B will be adjudicated for consular processing (which requires H1B Visa to enter USA)
2) On the day when your H1B Extension package is received by USCIS, your I-94 gets adjusted (assuming you are in US on the day of receipt) for 240 days allowing you to work while awaiting decision.
3) After the case is received and receipt# is generated, you are good to continue commute (US/Canada).

I am not sure if this is helpful, but thought of sharing it.
Thanks for the response.Are you still commuting daily during pandemic or you are working from Canada currently?
 

Ammjyo

Full Member
Jun 2, 2019
39
2
Hi @harirajmohan , All ,

Does anyone you know did soft landing recently ? Sorry if my question seemed repetitive but trying to understand the current trend .Have been hearing that very strict restrictions have been put in place from last 1-2 weeks .

If soft landing not allowed ,is 3 days mandatory hotel stay provided by the government + 11 days of own accommodation valid for land travelers as well ?
 
Last edited:

YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
7,378
2,869
Hi @harirajmohan , All ,

Does anyone you go for soft landing recently ? Sorry if my question seemed repetitive but trying to understand the current trend .Have been hearing that very strict restrictions have been out in place from last 1-2 weeks .

If soft landing not allowed ,is 3 days mandatory hotel stay provided by the government + 11 days of own accommodation valid for land travelers as well ?
There is no 3 days mandatory hotel stay for land travellers. Just 14 days quarantine in your own accomodation.
And for flying in, the 3 days mandatory hotel stay is out of the travellers' own pockets. (there is an approved list of hotels.)

Do not have more information about soft landing recently.
 

sp2305

Newbie
Oct 31, 2020
5
0
How does it work if someone living and working in Detroit and just cross the border to Windsor once a day and come back . are there any implications for residency obligations?
 

sp2305

Newbie
Oct 31, 2020
5
0
do the employer has to be in Detroit ? My employer is in another state , but I can work remotely, taught of renting a workspace regus, bamboo etc.. and live in Windsor commute daily to the workspace and comeback to Windsor . Or living in Detroit and just once in a day crossing the border and comeback .

please advise on the drawbacks of any of the above two approaches , thanks !
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,472
13,472
do the employer has to be in Detroit ? My employer is in another state , but I can work remotely, taught of renting a workspace regus, bamboo etc.. and live in Windsor commute daily to the workspace and comeback to Windsor . Or living in Detroit and just once in a day crossing the border and comeback .

please advise on the drawbacks of any of the above two approaches , thanks !
If you don't live in Canada you won't qualify for healthcare and you may not be a tax resident (unless you have other ties). Not living in Canada or being a tax resident could cause issues when you apply for citizenship.